Trauma can take on many different forms and impact both our mental and physical health. Our bodies frequently hold trauma long after the original incident has occurred, which can be distressing and uncomfortable.
The body can mend itself and is remarkably resilient, though. The body is sometimes more skilled at processing stress than the mind is, despite the mind’s unique abilities. Surprising to us, the body frequently retains trauma, impairing our movement and ability to execute.
We’ll explore seven subtle but essential indicators in this blog that show 10 signs your body is releasing trauma of the past.
Table of Contents
How does trauma affect your body?
The body is strong. It is naturally able to bounce back from these kinds of traumatic experiences. Unresolved trauma has the potential to become an illness, but it can also occasionally resolve on its own naturally and return to normal functioning.
When the effects of a traumatic event persist for one month or longer and are affecting at least a single component of everyday functioning, such as work or family life, the condition is classified as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Common symptoms of trauma
- disruption of sleep
- Intolerance or fits of rage
- intrusive memories or dreams
- inability to concentrate
- Disconnection from other people
- Hypervigilance
- Dissociation
- Loss of interest in your favorite activities
How Is Trauma Stored in the Body?
Following a traumatic event, our bodies release cortisol and adrenaline. In an emergency, our hormones that trigger fight, flight, or freeze can save our lives. Failure to address and resolve these stress hormones causes the body to stockpile trauma. Even if the mind tries to forget the incident, the body could remember it. Dysregulation, stress, and pain may result from this.
The nervous system can retain traumatic memories, particularly subconsciously. Without our knowledge, these memories may have an impact on our feelings, behaviors, and health. For instance, when someone who has been in a car accident hears loud noises that sound like a collision, they could suddenly feel anxious or panicked.
Stages of Trauma Healing
Although the first Signs Your Body Is Releasing Trauma may be slight, they indicate a significant change in direction toward a better, more balanced existence. Healing from trauma includes the body regaining a sense of safety and more emotional regulation.
Recovery from trauma occurs in stages, however these stages may differ from person to person and don’t necessarily follow a straight line. People may alternate between them in the early phases of trauma recovery.
In these stages, trauma survivors address the emotional, cognitive, and physical symptoms to release the trauma. Each stage brings difficulties and healing opportunities, helping people build resilience and restoration.
Safety and Stabilization
The first Signs Your Body Is Releasing Trauma focuses on establishing a sense of stability and security. Often, this means creating a secure space where the individual can feel emotionally and physically supported.
In this stage, methods such as grounding exercises, mindfulness exercises, and developing good habits may be beneficial.
Exploration and Understanding
People begin looking into their traumatic experiences at this point, and they become more conscious of how they have affected their lives. Working with a therapist or counselor to process the trauma-related emotions, memories, and beliefs may be necessary for this.
Psychoeducation about the physical and mental effects of trauma may be beneficial during this stage.
Processing and Integration
Processing trauma involves facing and expressing distressed emotions, memories, and experiences. This can be done using CBT, EMDR, or somatic experiencing.
Reconnection and Integration
You restore connections with people, themselves, and the outside world as their recovery progresses. Rebuilding connections, restoring passions and hobbies, and gaining a sense of direction and meaning in life are all part of this stage and Signs Your Body Is Releasing Trauma.
Transformation and Growth
The last step of trauma healing involves growth and transformation that results from the healing process. People can gain resilience, wisdom, and a greater sense of self-awareness from their experiences, even though trauma’s effects might never disappear entirely. This stage focuses on accepting life with new strength, compassion, and enthusiasm.
10 signs your body is releasing trauma
Following are the signs your body is releasing trauma ;
1. Reduced chronic muscle strain
Chronic muscle tension can be brought on by suppressed emotions that are the result of unprocessed trauma reactions. Trauma sets off the body’s “fight-or-flight” reaction, which causes muscles to tense in anticipation of an emergency.
The neural system’s reactivity to reminders of trauma decreases as healing advances. When cortisol and other stress hormones are reduced, muscles can relax again. When recuperating from trauma, you can employ deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation as relaxation techniques.
2. Improved Gut Health
When trauma-based anxiety manifests in the gut, stomach clenching and tight abdominal muscles occur. A ‘fight or flight’ response to trauma can include stomach pain, nausea, intestinal cramps, and diarrhea.
When trauma is resolved, GI symptoms decrease. They become less frequent and more intense. As a result, when a person feels safe and comfortable, their gut muscles get relaxed which indicates the Signs Your Body Is Releasing Trauma.
3. Hypervigilance To Safe Mode
Because it is stuck in a state of danger, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) leads the body to feel unsafe even when it is in a secure environment. Being hypervigilant and having an easy startle response is appropriate in a risky situation. This adds to both of these characteristics.
The brain and body re-establish a connection to a sense of safety when the consequences of trauma are released from the body. This helps you feel more comfortable in your skin and in your environment. Your body is undoubtedly shedding trauma when it happens.
4. Restoring The Relationships
One of the most common types of traumatic experiences is being hurt easily and disconnecting in your relationships, which can lead to a general mistrust of other people and persistent negative views such as “people shouldn’t be trusted.”
Because trauma gives the impression that danger is always there, an active fight-or-flight system makes it difficult to sustain healthy relationships with other people. When the nervous system is calmed, a better capacity to feel comfortable with other people is achieved, which points to the signs that your body is releasing trauma.
5. You start Feeling Your Emotions
In the process of healing from trauma, you start to embrace your emotions rather than suppress them. Tears are not a sign of weakness; you know that they are a spiritual rain. You can release the sadness and anguish you’ve been holding for a long time with each tear you cry.
Instead, you allow yourself to fully experience your emotions, recognizing their presence and making an effort to comprehend their root causes, which may include loneliness, grief, helplessness, and agony. Noticing and addressing these feelings causes your anger to subside and give way to acceptance and peace, which are indicators that your body is letting go of trauma.
6. Your Body Releases Tension & Trauma
You observe substantial body changes as you recover from trauma. A major change is releasing long-held stress. You experience fewer headaches, migraines, stomachaches, stress, and exhaustion. This decrease in bodily pain indicates deep internal healing.
Through treatment, mindfulness, and self-care, you’ve built a sense of security that lets your body shed its protective armor. With each breath, tension melts away, leaving you peaceful and quiet.
Your relaxed state makes you more open to touch, especially from loved ones. Hugs that were awkward or upsetting are now comforting and connecting.
7. You Respond to Triggers Differently
Instead of behaving impulsively, you reflect on your feelings and experiences. Moving from reactivity to reflection is a significant step toward self-awareness and emotional management.
You start to see your triggers as guiding lights guiding you toward areas that require healing rather than as impediments to overcome or control. You learn about the origins of these triggers, their needs and vulnerabilities, and how to break the pattern of self-sabotage they may start.
8. You start to understand yourself better
Grieving for what you never had becomes challenging as you heal. You feel less and emote and understand your inner child—the sensitive, neglected part of yourself that needs love, validation, and nurture. You discover long-buried needs and desires as you delve into this inner child.
However, grieving for what you never experienced unleashes complex emotions. You feel frustration, anger, and resentment as you remember previous injustices and neglect. Allowing yourself to experience and process these feelings is essential to healing and growth.
9. Increased Mind Body Awareness
Traumatic events affect brain-body communication. Our brains transfer resources from emotional processing to traumatic event regulation because emotional awareness is not vital for survival. If recovery is delayed, all physical effects during such an event can last longer.
After traumatic release, the perception of imminent danger decreases, and processes resume. When your body is releasing trauma released, you can process emotions naturally. This scary and intense healing aspect is beneficial and necessary and increases self-awareness.
10. Your Sleep Improves
Whenever the body is unable to move out of a state that makes it appear as though it is in danger, it will not allow you to fall asleep. When the body and brain are kept alert by anxiety and excitation of the nervous system, it becomes difficult to fall asleep and to remain asleep after that.
When you can let go of traumatic experiences, and your body begins to feel safe again, your brain will realize that it can stop being so attentive and will allow you to go to sleep.
Therapies For Trauma Recovery
Trauma recovery sometimes necessitates a multimodal approach, involving multiple therapies from trauma specialists tailored to the needs and preferences of each patient. Some common trauma recovery treatments include the following:
Cognitive behavioral therapy; Recognizing and changing negative thinking patterns and behavior patterns is the goal of cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. It supports individuals in challenging erroneous beliefs about the world and themselves and replacing them with more optimistic perspectives. Cognitive behavioral therapy is helpful in addressing the symptoms of anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Reducing anxiety and processing painful memories are two benefits of this specialist therapy. Recalling upsetting experiences is accomplished through bilateral stimulation or guided eye movements. People can reduce the strength of their emotions and integrate traumatic memories into their narratives by reprocessing them utilizing EMDR.
TF-CBT. Trauma-centered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Children and adolescents with trauma are the focus of TF-CBT. It uses trauma-focused therapies and cognitive behavioral therapy to treat depression, PTSD, and other symptoms of trauma. Training coping skills, relaxation techniques, and psychoeducation are all popular in TF-CBT.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). DBT uses CBT and mindfulness to promote acceptance and change. It aids in stress management, relationship development, and emotional regulation. For trauma survivors who exhibit self-destructive behaviors and emotional dysregulation, DBT may be helpful.
Resources & Further Reading
The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment (Norton Professional Book)
FAQS
What is Complex Relational Trauma?
Complex relational trauma is the term used to describe prolonged or recurrent exposure to traumatic experiences in interpersonal relationships, such as abuse, neglect, or betrayal.
A person is often left with deep emotional and psychological scars that impact their relationships, sense of self, and overall health. Typical elements of treatment include addressing relational issues and restoring trust.
How Long Does Trauma Healing Last?
Individuals, the type of trauma, and the efficacy of treatment all have a significant impact on how long it takes for trauma to heal. Months to years may pass during this time, and even after the initial healing, there may be continued personal development.
What does trauma release in the body feel like?
Extreme emotions, trembling, shivering, or bursts of heat or cold can all be signs that the body is releasing trauma. Despite the overwhelming feeling, it frequently results in catharsis, release, and relief.
How do you know your body is healing from trauma?
Your body is releasing trauma when you have less physical symptoms like tension, better sleep, more energy, a stronger sense of security, and more stable emotions. Along with a revitalized interest in relationships and activities, you might also observe an improvement in your capacity to handle stress.
What are signs your body is releasing trauma?
Experiencing waves of intense emotions, trembling, sweating, experiencing heat or cold flashes, releasing muscle tension, and spontaneously sobbing or laughing are all indicators that your body is releasing trauma. Later on, you might experience a feeling of lightness and relief, as well as changes in your breathing patterns and an increase in energy.
How do you get rid of emotional trauma?
Consult a therapist or counselor who specializes in trauma treatment for assistance in addressing emotional trauma. Methods for processing and releasing trauma include somatic experiencing, mindfulness, EMDR, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). To promote healing, develop constructive coping mechanisms, take care of yourself, and establish relationships with people who are helpful.
